Suspension unit for chair backs



Jan. 30, 1940. w. F. HEROLD SUSPENSION UNIT FOR CHAIR BACKS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1937 VlfilferEHero Zd,

Jan. 30, 1940. w F HERQLD 2,188,605

SUSPENSION UNIT FOR CHAIR BACKS Filed Nov. 15, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I l I I swam vio a VflQZfGrEHerold,

Jan. 30, 1940. w. F.HEROLD ,5

SUSPENSION UNIT FOR CHAIR BACKS Filed Nov. 15, 1937 3 Sheets-She et 3 Q36 Ilimiiiiiiiiiiin grwm'vto'n V m erEHemzd,

Patented Jan. 30, 1940 SUSPENSION UNIT Fort-onsla- BACKS Walter F. Herold, BridgeporhiConnj,,.assignor to The General Fireproofing Company, Youngs-v town, Ohio, a, corporation of Ohio Application November l 5, 1937; .Serial- No.--1 74,'l1 2 '14 Olaims, (o1. 1 551-164) This invention relates to chair irons or chair:

hardware used for supporting the seats and backs of swivel chairs.

One of the objects of the invention is to pro- 'vide a. novel unit for supporting or suspending and also adjustingthe angular position of the back of the chairrelative to the seat;' In that connection the invention contemplates anovel construction which lends itself to standard manu) ufacturing practices; is economical to manufacture, and easy to install and operate.

A special object of the invention is to provide a a unit of the character set forth including novel' rubber cushioning means which will yield when in the chair back is rocked rearwardly onits suspending pivot. cushioning element may be provided with finger or hand engaging means to facilitate its manipu lation and adjustment.

nally threaded member which cooperates with a relatively fixed screw member thereby to hol the parts in adjusted position.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists inthe novelconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of th invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a Y chair iron illustrating the details of the present improvement. I

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the e V gunted ina threadedsupport l6 carried by the-insideface of one of the side walls of the construction shown in Figure 1, the adjusting unit being shown in elevation; v

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional viewtaken on the line 33 of Figure 1. v

Figure 4 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on the line l4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken-on Figure 7 is an elevation illustra ing a modification of the'invention.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view of the modification shown in'Figure 7. I

Similar reference characters designate correa spending parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. The chair iron designated generally as O prefthesw-ivel mounting S.

In that connection the rubber A further object of the invention is to pro vide a novel cushioning unit including an intererably includes the framefparts C 'and C which aresecuredto the underside of the chair seat I intheconventional way and are intende'd to support'and'mount the seat on a suitable support generally] as'T; and which also includes The backrsu'pporting unit 'of the present invention'is designated generally as B and is'car ried by the rear of thechaii' iron C as will be apparent from Figures 1 and 2. Said member B includesin its'organization a plate l secured bythe fastenings ztoxthe chair iron partsC and-G the said plate'inturn being connected by the fastenings 3, and the intermec'li'ate washers 3a; if requiredi with the Web 4 of an invertedU-shaped bracket having the" depending side walls 55. The side walls 55' are provided at their upper'rear corners jwiththe Divotears 6 "for -receiving a pivot bolt! from which-the part8 'of a guide bracketG is rock ably or pivotally supported.

The part B-in'cludes woman 9 which is notched or slotted as indicatedat liljwhile the edges of thepart t opposite the'wall 9 are formed These flanges are intended" to cooperate with" the 'inturned with the guide flanges ll-l l.

guideflangeslt llof a'-mating guide part l3 carried by the transverse strap, [4 of the? back andwhich inturn supports the uprights ofthe chair-backat opposite ends. It will; therefore,

ber 14 which carries the backof the chair may abe vertically adjusted through the-medium of theinterengaging guide flanges H and I2. For

th epurpose of locking or setting the adjustable element M in a'sele'ctedposition; a locking screw I5, maybe employed." The said screw I5 is part8 andits front endl'l is intended to wedgof the back structuregrelative 'tothe seat may be readily; varied by afnovel'adjusting unit designated generally" as E.

The said adjusting unit Eincludes' a threaded member or screw I 9 which is fixedly supported at one end in the vertical leg of an angular -bracket 2B rigidly fastened to the "opposite side a The said I threaded' member isrigidlyheldin' place 'by 5 walls- 5 -5 of the 'main support.

be apparent that-the transverse strap or mem- A rubber cushioning element 26, having a central bore 21 for loosely fitting over the sleeve 23, and also having a knurled or equivalent finger gripping bead 28 is held or clamped between the disc 25 and a second disc 29. This disc 29 abuts against the shoulder 290. on the sleeve, and, thus,

the disc 25, cushion 26, and disc 29 all turn with the sleeve.

On the portion of the sleeve between the flange 24 and shoulder 29a, there is mounted a block 30 which is free to turn on the sleeve. As will'be apparent from Figures 4 and 5 the block 30 is grooved at opposite sides as indicated at 3| to provide guides for receiving the side edges of the Wall 9 at the slot Ill therein. Said guide formations 3| of the block 30 are each made with opposite knife edge portions 32 and 33 thereby to provide ample clearance for the varying angular positions of the guide bracket G on the pivot.

As the sleeve 23--24, discs 25 and 29 and rubber cushioning element 26 may readily turn on the threaded member l9, it will be apparent that the flange 24 of the sleeve will compel the block 36 to follow their movement. In this way, that is, by'manually turning the rubber cushion element .30, the bracket G may be rocked on its pivot I to control the angular position of the back supported thereby.

If the back including the parts |2, |3 and I4 is pushed rearwardly, as for instance by the occupant of the chair leaning backwardly, the washer or disc 29 will be moved away from shoulder 29a and block 30 will move away from flange 24 to compress the rubber cushion 26 against the disc 25. Thus, the back of the chair will yield due to the rubber cushion 26. When pressure is relieved from the back of the chair the rubber cushion will push the washer 29 and block 30 back to normal position.

The sleeve 23, discs 25 and 29 together with the cushion member 26 constitute. a nut-like member operating on the screw l9 and loosely connected with the bracket G. The relative adjustment between the nut-like member and the screw does not vary the compression on the cushion 26. In Fig. 3 the cushion 26 is not initially compressed. If it is desired to vary the compression of the cushion, suitable means may be provided as shown in the modified form of con.- struction shown in Figs. 7 and 8. In any case, however, the degree of compression is not changed by the relative adjustment of the bracket to the support. v

A modification of the invention is illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 wherein the rubber cushion element may be compressed to the desired degree by the user of the chair, as distinguished from the relatively non-compressed cushion in Figures 1-6. The modified adjusting unit E is preferably carried at one end by a bracket 35 mounted on the underside of the chair seat S which is suitably supported in any conventional manner to tween the inside face of the disc 3'! and the Wear ring 39 when the compressor disc 37 is rotated on the threads 23b, thereby to render turning of the disc 31 easier, and preventing direct contact'between the compressor disc and the rubber cushion element 4|. Said cushion element is arranged between the ring 39 and the opposite disc 42 held against the shoulder 29a of the sleeve.

Moreover, the cushion member 4| (preferably rubber) is provided with a bore to fit over the upset portion 36 of the disc 31 and also to fit over and clear the external surface of the sleeve 23a as well as the threads 2312.

Externally the cushion element 4| is provided with a knurled or equivalent bead or ring 43 to facilitate the manual rotation of the entire. unit E which consists of the cushion 4| and discs 37 and 42 together with the wear plate or shim 39 clamped between the compressor disc 31 and the cushion element 4|. Since the disc 42 abuts against the shoulder 29a of the sleeve, and thus cannot move in one direction, it will be apparent that by rotating the disc 31 on the threads 23b of the sleeve it will be possible to compress the cushionelement 4| to the desired degree, through, of course, the medium of the wear ring or shim 39. I

The sleeve 23a carries between the disc 42, which abuts against the shoulder 29a, and the flange 24a. a suitable block 44 which is provided externally with the guide flanges 45 whose inner faces are formed after the fashion of knife edges to engage the opposite side edges of the slot or notch 0a in the wall 911 of the bracket G. This bracketcarries the back of the chair and is piv otallysupported or hung from the transverse pivot Ja in the same manner as the bracket G.

According to this embodiment of the invention it will be apparent that the cushion element 4| may be compressedto the desired degree at will to cause the back of the chair to encounter more or less resistance as it is rocked on the suspendingpivotfl.

From the :foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention provides a rockably supported or suspended bracket for carrying the back of the chair and that the angular adjustment of the back is efiected through a novel adjusting unit arranged below the point of pivotal connection between the bracket G and the support B, the said unit including means for cush ioning the back in onerdirection when it is subjected to pressureflfIhe adjusting unit, therefore, performs the dual function of adjusting and cushioning the back of the chair.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and

from the spi it o t vention and scope of the appended claims.

ible threaded connection means between said.

' ally connected to one of said members, said ro-,

ales-605 1. A mounting for chair backs including a pair of pivotally connected members, one .of which carriesthe chair back, extensible and contractmembers including a rotatablepart,-means slidably connected to said rotatable part and pivot ally'connected to one of said members, said rotatable part adapted upon-rotationin one or the other directions to extend or contract said connection means to adjust the angular relation of said members about said pivot,andcushioning means carried by and rotatable with said rotatable part and arranged to be engaged bysaid s'liclable means for axial compression whereby] pivotal movement between said'members is cushioned in one direction,

2 A mounting for chair backs including apair of pivotally connected members one of which carries the chair back, extensible and contract-- ible threaded connection .means between said membe rs including a rotatable par-t means'slidably connected to said rotatable partand pivot- 3. A mounting ior chair backs including a pair of pivotally connectedmembers, one ofv which carries the chair back, extensible andcontractible threaded connectiOnmeans between said members including a threaded shaft-part connected to one of said members, and, a threaded nut part engaged with said shaft part and connected to the other of said members, one of said parts being rotatable in one or the other directions to extend or contract said connection means to adjust the angular relation of said members-about said pivot, and cushioning means carried by said nut part, said cushioning means being arranged between a rigid portion'of said nut part, and means slidably and pivotally con-, necting the nut part with the other of said mem-- arranged between said abutmenta -and means pivotally connected with the bracket and slidably connected with the sleeve and having a portionbearing against the movable I abutment whereby pivotal movement of said bracket in one direction will axially compress the cushion member.

5. A mounting for chair backs-including a sup-'' port, a bracket for carrying the chair. back, a horizontal pivot rockably suspending the bracket from the support, and a combined adjusting and .c iv n discs.

port, a bracket for carrying the chair-back ineluding a notched wall portion, a horizontal pivot ing a'shoulderand internally threaded to travel ,on said threaded member, a flange at one end of the sleeve, a disc fixed to thegend of the sleeveopposite'the flange another disc loosely fitting over the exterior of the sleeve and abutand a rubber cushion member arranged between said discs.

I arranged onthe sleeve and engaging said shoulder, a flange on the end of the sleeve, a block ,slidable on the sleeve between 'said flange and an g am; sa d .uni nclud n a t rea ed member securedat one end in the support, an

i e n ly t ad d Sleeve m ted ion said threaded member and having an abutment flange .at one end;fa disc rigidly carried by the other end of the sleeve,another disclooselymountedon said sleeve, means on the sleeve between said last mentioned, disc and said abutment flange pivotally engaging said bracket, and a rubber cushioning unit having a central borefforresaid sleeve and; arranged between jsaid 6. A mounting for chair backs including a sup- I rockably suspending the bracket from the support, and an adjusting unit for controlling the angular relation of the bracket, relative to the support, said unit including a threaded member secured at oneend tosaid support, a sleeve hav- 25 ting said shoulder, a block on'the sleeve between said shoulderand flange, pivoting guide means at opposite sides of said block for loosely engaging in the notch of said fixed wall of the bracket,

"1. A mounting for chair backs-including a pair of pivotally connected members,; one of which carries the chair back, rotatable adjusting means for'chan-ging the angular relation of said members about said pivot, saidmeansincluding an externallythreaded element carried by one of said members, aninternally threaded rotatable sleeve "including means pivotally-engaged .W th

the other of said members and adapted to travel on said externally threaded element, and cushioning means arranged between a'portion of said sleeve n ne eir m mbe s he ya e i movement between said members is cushionedin one direction. I

8. In combination, a pair of pivotally connected members, one of which members carries a chair back, and means for adjustably setting and holding said members inseleoted angular position, said means comprising a threaded element carried by one ofthe members, a sleeve having rigid abutments one of which is a disc and the other of which is a shoulder, said sleeve being internally threaded to engage and travel on said threaded element, a second disc slidably said last mentioned disc and pivotally interlocked with one of said pivotally connected members, and a rubber cushion mounted on the sleeve between said discs. I y 9. In amounting for chair backs, a support, a bracket carrying the back and pivoted tosaid support, and means for adjusting the angular a threaded member fixed at one end-to the sup-'v port and having means at its opposite end piv 'otally interconnected with said bracket, a sleeve normally engaged with the shoulder'thereon, and

0'5" position of said bracket, said means including" a"cushio n' element arranged between said discs.

* 10. In 'a mounting'for chair backs, a support,

a bracketcarrying the back and pivoted to said support an qmansror adjusting-the angular position of said"'-bracket, said means including -a' threaded member fixed at one end to the support "and'having means at its opposite'end pivotally interconnected with said bracket, a sleeve having a shoulder-and internally threaded foradjustment along-said threaded member, said sleeve also'having an externally threaded portion, a pair of spaced discs, one of which is rotatably mounted on the externally threaded porhaving a shoulder and internallyv threaded for adjustment along said threaded member and also provided with an externally threaded portion op- -posite'said'shou1der,a disc loosely engaging the sleeve but abutting said shoulder, a rubber cushion fitted over said sleeve, a wear ring ,fitted against one side of the cushion, and a'fianged disc having acentral opening in threadedengagement 'with the externally threaded portion of'the sleeve to be adjustable thereon with reference to'the first mentioned disc tocompress the rubber cushion, said last mentioned disc bearing against the wear ring and having its flanged portion roughened 'for finger engagement and manipulation.

12. In a mounting for chair backs, a support, a bracket carrying the back and pivoted to said support,and means for: adjusting the angular position of said bracket, said means including a threaded member fixed at one end to the support'and'having'means at its opposite-end pivotally interconnected with said bracket, a -sleeve'thereon and internally threaded for ad- "justment along said threaded member, a pair of "discs mounted on the external portion of said sleeve,a cushion element arranged between said discs, one of said discs engaging means fixed on the sleeve to prevent movement in one direction and the'other of saiddiscs being adjustable back and forth relative to said first disc to vary the compression of said cushion element.

r 13. In amounting for-chair backs, a support, a bracket pivoted to the support for carrying the back, and'means for adjusting the angular position of said bracket, said means comprising, a

threaded member rigidly carried at one end by the support, and an adjusting unit mounted on said threaded member, and pivotally interlocked atone end with the pivoted bracket, said adjusting unit' including a sleeve internally threaded and engaging "said screw threaded member, and also having a p'ortion thereof externally threaded and provided with a shoulder, a disc mounted loosely on'the exterior of said sleeve to abut said shoulder, a wear ring having a rib on one face thereof, a flanged disc having a central portion internally threaded for engaging with said external threads of the sleeve, and the inside face of said-flanged disc engaging said rib on the wear ring, and a cushion element fitting over said sleeve and arranged between the first mentioned disc and said wear ring. I

14. In a mounting for than backs, a support, a bracket pivoted to the support for carrying the back,an adjustableunit including means for settingandholding said backin a selected adjusted angular position, means between said first named means and said bracketadapted to yield when pressure is applied in' one direction to the chair back, and adjustment means arranged to vary the yieldability of saidlast named means.

I WALTER I-IEROLD. 

